eCommerce has seen a boom in the last few years, as has the competition to get new customers. This has led to an increase in customer acquisition costs (CAC).

However, eCommerce content marketing is a powerful tool that can help your online shop stand out among the rest.

Not only is it cost-effective to lower CAC, but quality content can also be a foundation for digital initiatives within your company. Content marketing for eCommerce has many benefits. Even better, independent retailers as well as direct-to-consumer brands have the unique ability to create rich content marketing that engages their target audience.

While styles and formats can be different, eCommerce Marketing content is intended to engage customers and encourage them further interaction with your brand. It makes it easier to buy and highlights your unique value proposition.

What is eCommerce Content Marketing?

eCommerce content marketing refers to the strategic deployment and use of content to connect customers and brands. Its primary mission is to inspire action.

Although this content is not necessarily the same as the product information catalog, it can and should interweave seamlessly across the eCommerce website, social outposts as well as in emails and other places you interact with customers.

Every stage of the customer’s lifecycle can benefit from eCommerce content marketing. 81% of B2C marketers say that content marketing is helpful during the acquisition phase. 76% believe it helps to build credibility and trust, which are crucial for establishing during the consideration phase. 70% use content marketing to increase loyalty among customers.

eCommerce content has become so popular, especially in the wake the global pandemic, that it has increased in popularity. The volume of content in each channel has also grown. in 2020, email volume increased by 7 percent over the previous year, delivering more than a million additional messages to consumers’ inboxes. While eCommerce content marketing can be a great way to differentiate your brand, it’s important to plan and do your research to make sure your efforts are successful. This is where content strategy comes into play.

Content marketing vs. content strategy

Although the terms can be interchangeable, content strategy is different from content marketing.

A complete eCommerce Content Strategy is essential to the success of your content and ensures that you get a return on your investment (ROI). It is essential that you identify your content goals before you start creating holiday gift guides or TikTok videos.

It is important to get to know your audience before you can develop your eCommerce content strategy.

Prioritizing content development will be easier if you know how your target audience shop, what social networks they use and what topics are most important to them. Further insights can be gained by researching competitors and popular keywords and topics. These are essential steps to ensure your content investments align with your audience’s preferences.

Content strategy development results in a blueprint for eCommerce marketing. This is the development and distribution information on specific topics through the channels and formats most appropriate to your audience. Timing is an important aspect of content strategy conversion into content marketing. It is important that content syncs with key events such as holidays sales dates and new product launches.

How eCommerce Content Marketing Drives Return on Investment

Online content for eCommerce is very popular as it can drive engagement, sales and even return business.

These are the top eCommerce content marketing benefits and how other merchants can measure their impact.

Tell your brand story and get new customers A crowded market means every opportunity to show what makes you stand out can bring new people to your site and encourage them to buy.

You can highlight the authenticity of your company’s founding principles, history, and stances on environmental and social causes. Your brand’s credibility and commitment to customer service can be established by highlighting the people behind it, from the founders to the store associates.

Quality content drives organic traffic. Search referral traffic and overall traffic volume SEO content marketing can improve search engine optimization (SEO). Google’s top ranking factor is high-quality content. It is crucial to rank high in organic search results. Consumers rarely scroll past the first page and 28.5 percent of them click on the top listing without scrolling further. B2C marketers account for more than half of the total traffic growth, with 87 percent tracking search rankings.

CAC can be controlled by content. Metrics: CAC and paid search performance. CAC has risen by 60 percent since 2015. This is due to increased marketing and customer service costs, as well aggressive discounting. As mobile search and social advertising pricing rises, Apple’s privacy policies are pushing up CAC even more this year. With a rich content library, however, you can create ads for other keywords to promote unique offerings like buyers’ guides and in-depth videos. This will allow you to increase your paid media budget.

Self-service content lowers call center costs Metrics include call center volume, NPS and return rates Although less well-known than other types eCommerce marketing content, customer support information is an important topic. Self-service content addresses common questions and allows shoppers to search for solutions on their own. two thirds of customers try this first before calling live help. It is important to include information on shipping costs, delivery times, returns, and exchanges in multiple formats, especially during peak holiday season.

The tools that can help you determine the correct fit and dimensions include 360-degree imagery, augmented realities tools and video fitting guides. These tools can be used to pre-empt any questions and even prevent product returns.

Contextualizing products increases conversion. Metrics The basic product information in your catalog is only the beginning of creating a rich content environment that supports purchase decision making. You can show the product’s fit and dimensions, as well as showcase craftsmanship and artisanal touches. According to 54% of B2C marketers, content marketing is directly linked to revenue and conversion.

Content provides new customers with a reason for reengagement. Metrics include return visits, repeat purchase. Support content like installation and how to videos can help customers get more out of their new products. Invitations to share favourite looks and to leave reviews can encourage reengagement and word-of mouth advocacy. Lifestyle content allows customers to share their common interests and creates a community that encourages loyalty and continues connection.

One-time creation for multiple outlets. Traffic by referral source, social engagement, ROAS eCommerce marketing content can be retooled to work for multiple outlets and channels. This increases cost-effectiveness. You can list holiday shipping cutoffs on your customer service page. It can also be highlighted by site-wide banners. Wix users can use Wix CRM to create Instagram-friendly graphics for sharing the same information. You can also extract longer videos and mix them for social media.

The top 7 eCommerce Content Marketing Priorities for 2022

There are many options for content marketing in eCommerce. For sellers who are trying to lower their average CAC, it is important to prioritize a few key priorities. Here are some of the most important projects you should consider:

01. Establish a central clearinghouse for content

Create a blog and create a hub for all your eCommerce marketing content. This destination provides followers with an alternative entry point to the brand’s offerings as well as a source for inbound and external links that will help you improve your SEO reputation score.

02. Invest in video

YouTube is the most popular social media network. Video should be an integral part of your content strategy. You can use it as how-to tutorials, or longer documentary-style pieces to explore the brand’s history. Video can also be reused, re-edited and syndicated across multiple properties to increase the investment’s value.

03. Mobile capabilities are a great resource for UGC

Mobile devices are the ideal medium for creating user-generated content (UGC) because of their built-in cameras, instant access to chat groups and go-anywhere accessibility. Mobile websites should highlight the opportunities to share and contribute, and the content should be integrated throughout an eCommerce site to inject crowd-sourced authenticity.

04. Display customer reviews across all channels

Customers seek customer reviews to find information. Therefore, it is important to highlight excerpts of reviews in eCommerce content marketing.

05. Brand partners can co-market content

Brands should allow the syndication of content to their sellers, from retailers to third-party marketplaces to sell their products. This branded content can be shared to increase conversions on dealers’ sites by providing rich, detailed information and maximize content ROI.

06. Refer friends to receive VIP newsletters

Loyal buyers can bond with the brand by receiving exclusive content such as behind-the scenes videos or access from experts in the field. Allow them to share their content experiences with friends to foster new engagement and customer acquisition.

07. In private customer communities, open a dialog

Invite customers to join Facebook, Slack or launching Wix Forum on your eCommerce site. This not only gives you another way to share existing content but also allows customers to take control of the conversation and give you valuable insights into their priorities for future content development.

source https://www.wix.com/blog/ecommerce/2022/01/ecommerce-content-marketing